Inside the Phillies with MLB.com beat writer Todd Zolecki

Polanco’s Elbow Is OK

So Placido Polanco got hit in the left elbow with a pitch late in last night’s 5-2 victory over the Giants.

Polanco said afterward he is fine. He indicated the ball hit him below the protective armor he wears, but also below the actual elbow. He pointed to an area just below the elbow, which did not seem to have any swelling. In fact, Polanco seemed to be happily eating his postgame meal when we approached him and asked how he was doing. That’s good considering Polanco missed a lot of time in 2010 because of an elbow injury that ultimately required surgery.

But Charlie Manuel offered the best answer to Polanco’s HBP.

“Yeah, he got hit on the elbow,” he joked. “That’s one of his main elbows. He’s only got two. Hit him in the crazy bone.”

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Roy Halladay allowed two runs in eight innings. He earned a win while pitching seven or more innings and allowing two or fewer runs in each of his first three starts, which he also did in 2010. Elias Sports Bureau found that in the 36 seasons preceding Halladay’s arrival, only one other Phillies pitcher that started the season with the team registered a win, 7+ innings pitched and two or fewer runs allowed in each of his first three starts:

Dennis Cook in 1990.

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Shane Victorino has reached base safely in each of the season’s first 10 games.

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Jim Salisbury and I co-authored the book The Rotation, which is now available. Check it out here! Here are our upcoming book signings:

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